This section has been developed by the Delivering Better Outcomes Together Consortium as a resource to support the development of outcomes in Education, Health and Care plans (EHC plans). It includes the following sections: 

• Key things to consider when developing outcomes 
• What are aspirations, needs, outcomes, and provisions in relation to an EHC plan
• Illustrative examples of aspirations, needs, outcomes and provisions 
• Other resources available

Useful resources

• SEND Code of Practice - in particular, chapter 9
• Online training - council for disabled children

 

Think about the 'Golden Thread'

• There should be a Golden Thread directly through the aspirations, needs, outcomes and provision. 
• This can be achieved by thinking about outcomes as steps on the journey toward aspirations. 

Outcomes should be holistic

• This will mean that often a multi-agency approach will be required to support the young person to achieve their outcomes. 
• The provision section should clearly set out what each agency is doing to achieve the outcome. 

Make outcomes SMART

• If SMART is used the purpose of the outcome will be clear. Everyone will know when the outcomes should be achieved, and when it has been achieved. 

Outcomes must be person-centred

• They should be specific to the young person and expressed from a personal perspective, not a service one. 

Outcomes are not provision

Don't mix outcomes and provision with each other. Provision is what must be provided to meet a young person's needs, and enable the outcomes to be achieved. 

Outcomes should support aspirations and set high expectations

• In order to develop aspirations for life young people and their families need opportunities to find out what is possible, and what type of support would help them achieve their aspirations. 
• This includes learning from young people and their families about what has worked for them. 
• They should build on what is working well and address what is not working well for them. 

Supported by cultural change

• Changes in ways of working, relationships and different conversations are needed. 
• Provide advice, training and coaching that support the development of outcomes. 
• Develop guidance notes and tools that help staff develop clear, person-centred approaches which lead to positive outcomes. 
• Support the young person and their family to be central to the development of the outcome. 
• The outcome must be shared (by the young person, their family and professionals). To do this they need to be developed using a person-centred approach. 

Make use of existing resources

• Resources and materials should be shared to support the development of outcomes. Start with the SEND Code of Practice, chapter 9. 
• Make use of other resources developed nationally and locally. Section 5 includes some further resources you can use. 

Aspirations (EHC plan: Section A)

Concerning hoped-for positive outcomes in life - Wikipedia. 

• Aspirations for paid employment, independent living and community participation. (Code of Practice (CoP), page 164) 
• Long-term aspirations are not outcomes in themselves. A Local Authority cannot be held accountable for the aspirations of a young person. (CoP, page 163) 
• Local Authorities must ensure the EHC plan review in year 9 includes a focus on preparing for adulthood. Planning must centre around the individual and explore the young person's aspirations and abilities. It must also include what they want to do when they leave post-16 education or training, and the support they need to achieve their ambition. (CoP, page 125) 

Needs (EHC plan: Sections B, C and D)

A difference or gap - gives purpose and direction to behaviour - Maslow, "A gap that matters". 

• A child has special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty or disability, which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. (CoP, page 15)
• EHC plans must specify the special educational provision to meet each of the young person's special educational needs. (CoP, page 164)
• EHC plan must also specify any health or social care needs a child has. 

Outcomes (EHC plan: Section E)

The benefit or difference made to an individual as a result of an intervention. It should be personal and not expressed from a service perspective. (CoP, page 163)

• What is important to and for the young person? (CoP, page 163) 
• SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based. 
• Set out what needs to be achieved by the end of a phase or stage of education. Short-term targets can be set outside of the EHC plan. (CoP, page 164)
• An example of an outcome for a secondary school-aged young person could be; make sufficient progress, or achieve a qualification to enable him/her to attend a specific course at college. (CoP, page 163)
• From Year 9 onwards the nature of outcomes will reflect the need to ensure young people are focused on preparing for adulthood (employment, independent living, community participation and health/wellbeing). (CoP, page 163)

Provision (EHC Plan: Sections F, G, H1 and H2)

Provision that is additional to, or different from that made generally for other children of the same age. (CoP, page 163)

• Detailed, specific and normally quantified, in terms of type, hours and frequency of support and level of expertise. This includes when the support is secured through a Personal Budget. (CoP, page 166)
• The Local Authority must set out in it's Local offer an authority-wide description of the special educational, training, health and social care provisions it expects to be available in it's area. (CoP, page 68)
• Schools must inform parents when they are making special educational provisions for a child. (CoP, page 92) 

Here is an example of how the 4 areas can be completed. For this example, the young person is called Rebekah who is 17 years old. 

Aspirations

• Rebekah wants to get a paid job in a hairdresser salon when she leaves education. 

Needs

• Rebekah has severe learning difficulties, which affect all areas of her learning, including literacy and numeracy. 
• She has receptive and expressive communication difficulties. She struggles to understand 2 sentence instructions. Strangers also find it challenging to understand what she is saying. 
• Rebekah has a left-hemiplegia and has difficulty with fine motor skills. 

Outcomes

By the time she is 18, Rebekah will: 

• Had experience of work, including work at a local hairdressers. 
• Be able to read everyday signs in the community. 
• Understand keywords in the workplace. 

Provision

Sen Provision

• Supported internship programme which includes:
  • independent travel training
  • functional literacy and numeracy 
  • work experience at a local hairdresser
• An allocated job coach providing Rebekah with support and advice for a vocation profile, on the job training and access to work. 
• Twice termly a (SALT) will advise staff on a communication passport for Rebekah that will transfer with her to college. 

Health Provision

• Once a term, the Occupational Therapist will advise the college, Rebekah and her family about how to manager her Hemiplegia and increase her function.